HMCS COWICHAN (1st) (J146)

The History of the COWICHAN (1st)

HMCS Cowichan (J146) was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II.

Commissioned at Vancouver on July 4, 1941, she sailed from Esquimalt for Halifax on August 6, arriving on September 10. After working up in Bermuda she was initially assigned to Halifax Local Defence Force, but was transferred in January, 1942, to Newfoundland Force and in September to WLEF. With WLEF'S division into escort groups in June, 1943, Cowichan became a member of EG W-6. She remained with the group until February, 1944, when she was order- ed to the U.K. for invasion duties. She left Halifax on February 19 with Caraquet, Malpeque and Vegreville via the Azores for Plymouth, arriving on March 13. Assigned to the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, she was present on D-Day. Cowichan returned to Canada for refit late in February, 1945, but resumed her duties overseas in June. Proceeding home in September she was paid off on October 9, 1945, and placed in reserve at Shelburne.

Sold in 1946 to a New York buyer and converted for mercantile purposes under Greek flag, she still existed in 1956 under her original name.